Stirrup-leather fastener.



J. P. HUNTER. STIRRUP LEATHER PASTENER. APPLICATION FILED 111111.28, 1911.

1,055,045. Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

INVENTOR, WITNEssEs ATTORNEY UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.'

JOI-IN F. HUNTER, OF RIFLE, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM WORM- BRODT AND ONE-THIRD TO RICHARDO. HUTCI-IINGS, BOTH OF RIFLE, COLORADO.

STIRRUP-LEATHER FASTENER.

Patented Mar. 4, i913.

Application led March 28, 1911. Serial No. '617,402.

fasteners, and to provide a simple, ineXpensive and efficient buckle, designed to obviate the trouble and inconvenience of lacing stir- ,rup straps, and adapted to adjustably connect the same, and capable of enabling a stirrup to be easily and quickly lengthened or shortened.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the sco-pe of the claims, may be resorted to without departinoa from the spirit or sacricing any of the avantages of the invention.

In the drawing -Figure l is a perspective view of a stirrupleather fastener, constructed in accordance with this invention,

and shown applied to stirrup straps. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the saine. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 o-f Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the stirrup strap fastener.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

` In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the stirrup fastener consists of .a buckle and comprises in its construction a metallic skeletonized frame formed of flat metal and composed of longitudinal curved sides l, curved ends 2 and a straight central cross bar 3, off-set by the curvature of the sides from the yplane of the curved ends 2 to provide suflicient space for stirrup straps 4 and 5. The curved ends are arranged at the inner or rear edges of the sides of the frame, and the straight central cross bar is arranged at the outer or front edges of the said sides. The side bars 1 of the fastener are arranged in parallelism with the edges of the metal facing outwardly so that the bars will fit liat against the side edges of the stirrup straps 4 and', while the curved end bars are arranged in the saine longitudinal plane and fit flat against the contiguous face of the inner Strap 5.

The straps 4 and 5 are provided at opposite sides of the median line of the same with oblong openings 6 and 7, adapted to be arranged in registering relation to receive end studs 8 and central studs 9. The end studs 8 are hook-shaped and have their outer engaging portions or bills extended upward, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2, and when the said straps have been drawn down the said bills or engaging portions are caused to project beyond the ends of the openings and securely support the stirrup strap 4 and adjust-ably connect thesame with the strap 5. The end bars are provided with project ing ears or members 10, upon which the hook-shaped studs are mounted. The hookshaped end studs extend outwardly from the lugs or ears 10, while the central studs 9, which are straight, extend from the inner face of the central cross bar 3 and engage openings in the straps 4 and 5, which are thereby held against longitudinal movement on each other. The engagement of the straps by the central studs prevent accidental longitudinal movement of the same so that the straps will not become disengaged from the hook-shaped end studs. Then it. is desired to adjust the stirrup, the straps 4- and 5 are pressed inwardly away from the cross bar suliiciently to disengagev tion of the frame of the buckle permits the j inward bowing of the straps when eifecting this adjustment.

The device herein described is intended for a specific purpose and is not auniversal harness buckle. It is designed as a substitute for the use of leather lacing now in vogue with heavy stock saddles.

I am aware that in various forms of harness buckles and trace buckles, it is common to use both hook-shaped studs and plain studs, and these elements I do not claim as constituting my invention. Vhat I do claim is a fastener for stirrup leather straps in which three independent sets of studs are caused to engage the straps, the two end studs extending in one direction while the intermediate stud extends in the opposite direction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is zl. A fastener for two overlapping stirrup straps comprising side bars, end bars connecting the terminals of the side bars and fitting against the inside strap, a central cross bar connecting the side bars at apoint intermediate of the ends thereofl and fitting against the outside strap, approximately hook-shaped studs carried by the end bars and extending outwardly and being of a length so as to pass through both of the overlapped straps and projecting upwardly to engage the outer face of the outer strap, and studs extending inwardly from the central cross bar in the opposite direction from the hook-shaped studs and arranged to extend through both of the stirrup straps to maintain the same in engagement with the said hoolvshaped studs.

2. In combination with two overlapping stirrup straps having oblong' openings at opposite sides of the median line of the same, a stirrup fastener comprising side bars, end bars connecting the terminals of the side bars and fitting against the inside strap, a central cross bar connecting the side bars between the ends thereof and fitting against the outside strap, approximately hook-shaped studs arranged in pairs and mounted on the end bars and extending outwardly and being of alength to pass through openings of both of the stirrup straps and projecting upwardly and engaging the outer face of the outer strap, and two central studs projecting inwardly from the cross bar in the opposite direction from the hook-shaped studs and extending through openings in both of the straps to prevent the lat-ter from becoming disengaged from the hook-shaped studs.

3. In combination with two overlapping stirrup straps provided at opposite sides with oblong openings adapted to register, a stirrup strap fastener comprising curved side bars arranged flat against the sides of the strap, flat end bars connecting the side bars at the inner or rear edges thereof and extending across the rear face of the inner stirrup strap, a straight cross bar connecting the side bars at a point intermediate of the ends thereof and arranged at the front or outer edges of the same and extending across t-he outer or front face of the outer strap and off-set from the vertical plane of the end bars, approximately hook-shaped studs arranged in pairs and extending outwardly from the end bars and being of a length to pass through registering openings of the stirrup straps and projecting upwardly and engaging' the front face of the outer strap, the hooks all facing in the same direction, and straight central studs extending inwardly from the cross bar in the opposite direction from the hooks and passing through registering openings in the stirrup straps to prevent the same from becoming disengaged from the hook-shaped studs.

4L. A fastener for stirrup straps comprising a skeletonized frame formed of side bars, end bars and an intermediate crossbar, the end bars and cross bar being located in different vertical planes and receiving the two straps between them, the end bars crossing the outer face of one of the straps while the cross bar extends across the outer face of the other strap, the end bars each having a hook-shaped stud to pass through openings provided in both straps, said studs facing in the same general direction, the intermediate cross bar having a plain stud which extends in the opposite direction from the hook-shaped studs so as to engage openings in the said straps. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

A. LinsnMIs, C. Gr. KENDALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Pat-ents,

Washington, D. C. i 

